ANSA and META v22

powerful pre- and post- processing

for advanced CFD simulations

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 ANSA specifications
for CFD:

Supported platforms:
- Linux
- Windows

Parallel processing on
By permission of
multi core hardware for
Wirth Research Ltd maximum speed
64 bit code for unlimited
memory usage
Double precision for
high accuracy

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CFD formats: Direct Interfaces with
Fluent (standard and HDF5) other CAE codes: Input/Output:
Star-CD/CCM+ TAITherm
OpenFOAM THESEUS-FE
CFD++ NASTRAN
CFX5 ABAQUS
SC/Tetra ANSYS
CGNS LS-DYNA
TAU and more..
SU2
FUN3D CAD formats:
RavenCFD CATIA v4, v5, v6
CobaltCFD Unigraphics NX
PLOT3D PTC Creo Parametric
CMSoft AERO-F JT
UH-3D SolidWorks
Inventor
Other formats: Parasolid
PATRAN Rhinoceros
STL IGES
VRML STEP
and more.. IFC

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 Industrial scale pre-
processing
Powerful generation and
visualization of large CFD
models

GMGW-2 CRM model

287 million cells

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Geometry
handling Geometry handling

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Geometry Handling

“CAD feel”, easy-to-use

functions for creation
and manipulation of
geometrical entities
(points, curves, surfaces)

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Advanced automatic
and manual clean up
tools

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 Cutting planes for
model examination and
cross section creation

Courtesy of PSA

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 De-featuring and
watertight model
preparation

Raw CAD data De-featured and

watertight model

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Intersections Contacts/Proximities Emboss logos
De-featuring and
watertight model
preparation

Outer skin Inner passages Baffles

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Combining Geometry
and FE-model mesh
(non-geometry mesh)
Powerful tools for
management and
connection of CAD
geometry and existing
FE-mesh

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Boolean operations on
geometry with option
for fillet creation

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Linked geometry
Link geometry available
for symmetric or periodic
(rotation or translation)
similar geometry allows
the generation of
compatible identical
meshes on each side in a
straightforward manner

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Geometry creation from
surface mesh
Automatic creation of
geometry from surface
mesh based on intelligent
perimeter identification
algorithm.

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Auto-detection of
geometrical features
- Sharp edges
- Leading edges
- Trailing edges
- Fillets
- 2D/3D Holes
and more..

Features can be removed

or meshed with specific
meshing rules

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 Surface Meshing

Surface
Meshing

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Surface Meshing
Multiple algorithms for
tria, quad or mixed-type
shell mesh

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Surface Meshing
Automatic Macro Area
merging for high quality
surface mesh

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 Surface Meshing for
CFD
Fully automatic surface
meshing resolving all
curvatures and sharp
edges

Courtesy of PSA

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Flexible size boxes for
mesh refinement
Size Boxes of arbitrary
shape for local surface
mesh control

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Fully automatic
anisotropic mesh for
aerospace applications
Quad or tria anisotropic
mesh

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STL meshing
For Lattice Boltzmann
codes, like:
- ProLB
- Powerflow
- XFlow

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Proximity detection
and refinement
Proximity detection in
shell mesh and auto-
refinement

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 Surface mesh
reconstruction
Reconstruction of existing
FE-model mesh for
element type modification,
Automatic Remeshing quality improvement,
feature line specified refinement, or coarsening,
element type
detection capturing all feature lines
of the model

Refining Coarsening

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Surface mesh
reconstruction
Reconstruction of bad
quality STL mesh
respecting local size and
curvature

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 Surface wrapping
Imported STL
or unclean
wrapping
Variable length Wrapping,
geometry capturing local curvature
and model feature lines

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 Surface wrapping
Variable length Wrapping,
Input STL data
Treatment (hole and gap closure)
capturing local curvature,
model feature lines with
proximity refinement and
contact prevention

Surface Wrapping

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 Same part proximity
Proximity refinement
in surface wrapping
Different part proximity
Ability to specify
proximity refinement
settings to avoid fused
areas between different
or same parts

Without self-proximity With self-proximity

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Automatic detection
and closure of gaps and
openings

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Leak detection tools
Fast leak detection
functionality with
interactive cut plane
visualization and
automatic leak closure

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 Watertight model
creation for
intersection
Automatic detection

contact
of intersections and
proximities
intersections, contacts
and proximities

proximity

Watertight model Interior boundaries kept Interior boundaries removed

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 Efficient creation of
models for e-coat
simulations starting
from FEA mesh
FEA analysis Watertight exterior mesh
shell mesh ready for volume meshing
for e-coat CFD model

Triangulated shell Volumized mesh Automatic fusing of Final watertight

mesh according to property contacts and mesh with all
thickness proximities necessary details

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 Surface mesh checks
Quality check according to
multiple criteria
(skewness, angle squish,
length, aspect, warp, etc.)
and solvers (Fluent, Star,
OpenFOAM etc.)
Clear identification of
poor-quality elements

Template controlled mesh integrity checks (locate unmeshed

areas, free edges, proximities and penetration areas, duplicate
elements etc.)

Comprehensive mesh information and quality statistics

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Properties Parts CFD model
management
Double parallel model
management tools:
Properties (corresponding
to CFD model zones) and
Parts (assembly hierarchy
extracted from CAD data)

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 Configurations
management of
multiple variants

DrivAer model courtesy of

Technical University of
Munich

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Updated version of the model
in different file overlaid for
comparison
Current model
Current model with replaced
areas automatically identified
from updated model
Advanced model
comparison tool and
local model updating
Functionality to compare
current model with
updates in other ANSA
files, identify differences
in geometry, or other
attributes, and
automatically update the
current model with the
necessary differences only
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 Volume meshing

Volume
meshing

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 Volume meshing
Fully automatic volume
and sub volume detection
applicable to the most
complex problems

By permission of
FORD WERKE GmbH

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 Volume meshing
Fast and robust volume
meshing for all types of
elements (tetra, pyramid,
prism, hexa and
polyhedron)

By permission of Volkswagen AG

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Conformal mesh for MRF and porous zones and for conjugate heat transfer analyses Handling of multiple
fluid and solid zones

Non-conformal mesh for moving mesh analysis Periodic BCs matching node meshes

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 Solar car and urban
environment
simulations

Courtesy of Actiflow BV

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 Aerospace case EV-55

Courtesy of Evektor

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Complete volume mesh
of a human heart
2 million trias, 23 million
prisms and tetras

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Hexa-Interior volume
meshing
Fully-conformal variable
size Hexa-Interior mesh
with prism and pyramid
transitions

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HexaPoly volume
meshing
Variable size hexa mesh
with polyhedral elements
for transitions

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Size Field controls

Advanced functionality
to control mesh size:
- Flexible Size Boxes
- Closed iso-surfaces

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Size Field controls

Advanced functionality to
control mesh size:
- Offset surfaces
- Sweeping surfaces
- Point and Curve sources

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 Solution adaption

Ability to read a size field

from external solver and
mesh based on the
specified lengths
Results courtesy of UpstreamCFD GmbH

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Advanced boundary
layer generation
functionality
Multiple options:

•Auto exclude or collapse

areas

•Controlled Layer Squeezing

to avoid intersections

•Layers from selected areas

with different settings

•Layers from zero-thickness

walls

•Layers with variable growth

rate per layer
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 Boundary layer
collision avoidance
modes
Automatic fix of
intersection and
Squeeze option Collapse option Exclude option proximities in any of three
options

Collapse free edges

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 Flexible specification of
layer growth
Ability to create an X
number of layers in
absolute height mode and
Y number of additional outer
layers in aspect mode then switch to aspect
mode for the outer
additional layers, thus
X number of inner layers in ensuring a good cell
absolute mode volume change between
the layers and the tetra
mesh

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Robust layers
generation at extreme
heights and proximities
Powerful algorithm for
very large total layer
height and severe
proximities

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Conversion of hybrid
meshes to polyhedral

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Converted HexaInterior mesh Converted tetra and layers Polyhedral conversion
options

Layers excluded from conversion

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Hextreme volume
meshing
Fully automated, highly
controllable, trim hexa and
polyhedral mesh
generation without the
need for watertight volume
definitions, running on
multi core hardware

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 Semi-automatic
hexa/penta meshing

By permission of
City University racing team

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 HexaBlock meshing
Global box Box splitting Deletion of unneeded boxes Hexa meshing based on
block structures
associated to the model

Snapping of Snapping of Hexa mesh with O-GRID patterns

points edges

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HexaBlock meshing
Numerical simulation of
flow through S-duct - 1st
Propulsion Aerodynamics
Workshop

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HexaBlock meshing
Hexa meshing external
flows

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HexaBlock meshing
Advanced smoothing
algorithm with imposed
orthogonality near the
walls

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HexaBlock meshing
Automatic template
driven hexa meshing
for turbomachinery
applications

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HexaBlock meshing
Fuel injector

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Pure Hexa Mesh
HexaBlock meshing of
generic jet exhaust
under wing

Combination of hexa mesh with hybrid mesh

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Batch Meshing tool for
complete CFD mesh
generation
Batch Mesh provides:
• Automation
• Consistency
• Mesh specs traceability

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Automated mesh
refinement study
HLPW 4 model
Level A: 91 million
Level C: 276 million
Level E: 723 million

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 Output solver files

Output
solver files

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Boundary condition
type specification for
various CFD solvers

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Full support of
OpenFOAM mesh and
case setup
Boundary conditions,
porous and MRF zones,
turbulence models,
controlDict support,
integrated checkMesh
and more

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Thermal management
support for TAITherm
and THESEUS-FE
Direct I/O of native *.tdf
files (TAITherm) and *.tfe
files (THESEUS-FE)
Support of shell and solid
mesh, Parts (single and
multilayer) and
Assemblies, Materials,
Boundary conditions and
main solver settings

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 Morphing

Morphing

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 ANSA Morphing
ANSA morphing tool has the following advantages:

• It provides flexible parameterization of your CFD model

• It is highly controllable allowing the user to perform the exact modifications that are required

• It employs fast morphing algorithms that can be used efficiently and robustly on large CFD models

• It is integrated in the same environment so that it can be used in conjunction with the
powerful ANSA functionality for geometry handling and surface and volume meshing

• It allows scaling and history tracking of morphing actions

• It is applicable to surface & volume mesh and geometry

• Morphing can be performed interactively or in pure

batch mode, also coupled with optimizer software

• It can be used with direct interfaces with all major CFD codes,
like Fluent, Star CCM+, and OpenFOAM among others

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Morphing
Morphing of shell and
volume mesh by user-
interaction, or in batch
mode accelerates
engineering development

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 Morphing for external
Original mesh After morph aero

Skewed solids Reconstruction

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 Rear windscreen
morphing

By permission of Volkswagen AG

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Morphing of rear spoiler

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Morphing of ship
rudder

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Morphing on train
model

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Scalable morphing
deformations

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Support of adjoint
sensitivity guided
morphing
Sensitivity Based
optimization with ANSA
morphing boxes and
parameters that control
the motion of morphing
points using solver
calculated sensitivities

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Origin Curves

Target Curves Changing the ride

height setup with direct
morphing
Positioning of the
Translation suspension setup without
loosing the watertight
Frozen Curves
integrity and quality of the
mesh

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Changing the ride
height setup with direct
morphing
Positioning of the
suspension setup without
loosing the watertight
integrity and quality of the
mesh

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original CAD Morphing optimization
loop

optimum
p1,p2,p3

p1,p2,p3…

CL,CD
OPTIMIZER

optimized CAD

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Create a model in ANSA Extract the pressures from
the CFD solver and map
CFD-FEA two way
and solve in CFD solver
them on an FEA mesh using coupling
ANSA Results Mapping tool

Feed in the calculated

Perform an FEA simulation deformations in ANSA morphing
to calculate the deformations tool to deform the original CFD
mesh in the exact same manner

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Applying FEA
deformations on the
CFD mesh of the tyre
contact patch

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 Liquid level calculations

Other tools

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Calculation of liquid volume, levels
and centre of gravity for various tank
Fuel and resting liquid
configurations and positions calculations

Unused liquid traps

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 OPENFOAM
FLUENT One common
CFX
pre-processing
CFD++ STAR CD platform for all CFD
& CCM+
solvers
SU2 FUN3D

UH-3D SC/TETRA

CobaltCFD RavenCFD

POWERFLOW,
TAU
XFLOW, ProLB CGNS PLOT3D
(NASTRAN, STL)

CMSoft AERO-F via scripting

NASTRAN, ABAQUS, ANSYS, TAITherm, THESEUS-FE and more…

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Post- processing

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 META
An advanced CAE post-
processing tool for FEA
CFD and CFD analysis
Basic concepts and
From solver results to
report
features:
 3D post processing • Powerful tools for 3D & 2D
Post Processing
 2D post processing
 User calculations • High performance graphics
 Correlation studies • Low memory footprint
 Reporting • Best-in-class multi-model
handling
 Automation tools
• Generation of high-quality
reports
• Outstanding automation
capabilities

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ANSYS AVL-FIRE
• Fluent 2d and 3d
Supported format
PowerFlow
standard and HDF5 Converge
• CFX
TAITherm
• CFDpost *.cdat
THESEUS- FE
OpenFOAM LS-DYNA ICFD
• ascii/binary data, ABAQUS CFD
partitioned results Ensight
• FEMZIP file support Tecplot
Fieldview
StarCCM+
Paraview VTK, VTU, VTP
• *.ccm ,*.sim, *.simh
and *.trk files Plot3D
XDMF
CFD++
CAD Files
SC/Tetra
• IGES, STEP, Catia,
SU2
STL, VRML,
CGNS Wavefront
DLR-TAU and more….

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Supported formats
• Standard and Polyhedral
elements
• Steady state and
transient results
• MRF (multiple reference
frame) zones and moving
mesh

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Support of overset
meshes for Fluent
and StarCCM+

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 Cut Planes and Iso-
Surfaces

DrivAer model courtesy of Technical University of Munich

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Line Integral
Convolution
visualization

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Volume rendering

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 Streamlines and Oil-
flow display

Creation of Streamlines and Pathlines for transient analyses

Transient Streamlines Pathlines

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Multiple streamline
visualization options

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 Double fringe bars for
Total pressure contours Velocity vectors simultaneous display
of contour and vector
data

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Symmetric and
periodic display of
results

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 Camera matching tool
Correlate physical images
and videos with CFD
results

DrivAer model Courtesy Technical University of Munich

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Animation editor tool
for creation of flying
camera videos

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Materials rendering
and environment
mapping

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Rendering with
material textures
Textures from imported
image files can be applied
on models

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Multiple light sources

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Multiple windows
• 3d and 2d windows
• Setup styles and entities
visibility per window
• Different models can be
placed in one or more
windows

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Multiple model
handling and
comparison
Load multiple models and
compare cases from
different solvers, meshes,
physical models and
numerical setups

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Multiple model
handling and
comparison
Map results from one
model to another and
calculate their differences

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Session file support for
replaying all post-
processing actions
• Overlay and compare
multiple iterations of
data
• Set the respective files or
paths of the second
model
• All new data are
automatically overlaid
on the respective
windows

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 Query of model
dimensions
• Measurement of
distance, angle, area
• Projected Area
measurement Identify
Min/Max values or
critical areas
• Annotations

Projected Area: 1.884

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 Calculation tools
• Drag/Lift Forces and
Coefficients
• Moments
• Surface/Volume
integrals
• Results Sum, Average,
Difference
• Pressure Drop example:
Surface Integrals
- - - - - - - - -
Pid Name Area Weighted Average
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2 interior_downstream_cat 1187.68000
3 interior_upstream_cat 17057.3000
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sum 18244.98
Avg 9122.49
Diff 15869.62

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2D Plots
Cd/Cl plots vs
Time/Distance

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Image and video output
in numerous formats
• JPEG
• PNG
• TIFF
• BMP
• GIF
• PS
• EPS
• MPEG
• AVI
• Animated GIF

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 META Project file
Output all current entities,
Geometry Test Data Annotations results & objects in a
project file
Results Cut Planes Report
Streamlines 2d Plots Windows

Project File
META native binary format file

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 Data compression of
project files
Uncompressed
META offers the possibility
to save a Project file with
compressed data leading
to significant file size
reduction without loss of
accuracy
Compressed Fine

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 Summary report
Forces-Coefs
Pid Name Drag Coef Lift Coef
1 car_body 0.159 0.671
2 door 0.001 0.012
3 glass -0.004 0.334
4 underbody 0.035 -0.921
5 front_wheelhouse 0.040 -0.124
6 rear_wheelhouse 0.010 -0.092

Total 0.27832966 -0.12114441

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Report capabilities
• Create HTML, PPTX or
PDF reports
• Add images and videos
• Support of META viewer
objects
• Reports can be tagged,
stored and quickly
recovered

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 META viewer plugin
• License free reduced
version of MEΤΑ
• Web Browser,
PowerPoint Plug-in and
standalone executable
META Viewer • Loads Project Files only
as PowerPoint
plugin in slides

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Virtual Reality CFD
post-processing

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 Script language

Script Language

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PYTHON scripting
support
Creation of user defined
functions through
scripting for automation
and customization of
specific tasks, extending
further the software’s
functionality
Build-in script editor for
script creation, debugging
and execution
PYTHON programming
language support

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 Application industries

Automotive
Motorsports
Aerospace
Rail
Marine
Energy
Electronics
and more…

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 Conclusions
ANSA covers all the CFD pre-processing needs in a single environment, from CAD
import, to advanced model management , geometry cleanup and preparation,
automated surface and volume meshing and finally morphing and optimization.

It offers to the user the choice between high quality mesh generation on the
geometry level and also quick meshing solutions like surface wrapping, depending
on the needs and resources of the project.

ANSA provides high quality meshes for all CFD solvers, offering the possibility to
make comparisons or use several codes depending on your needs and is also one
common pre-processor platform for all other CAE disciplines, facilitating data
exchange between different departments.

META provides powerful automated post-processing for CFD and integrates with
ANSA as a complete pre and post-processing solution for industrial applications.

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Stay connected

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